A guy walks into a bar…
And finds the sweet girl he shouldn’t have left behind.
While book smart Candy Dillon went to college and embarked
on an engineering career, Jeremiah Lange became a rodeo champion and country
music icon. Their differences have kept these childhood friends apart until
finally, the twists and turns in their individual paths lead them right back
where they belong.
All work and no play has Candy aching for a thrill. Jeremiah
is the perfect man to help check a few things off her bucket list. From bungee
jumping to making out on a Ferris wheel and an emotional spin beneath bright
spotlights, Candy’s having the time of her life.
But in the harsh light of the morning after can she really
hold on to a shooting star?
About the Author:
Nicole lives on the sheltered Gulf Coast of Florida, where
inspiration can be found sitting under a big shade umbrella on the beach,
sipping cold margaritas and watching all the hunks at play. Always an
overachiever, Nicole stayed busy earning three college degrees and now splits
her time between working in a health care career and writing.
A voracious reader, she never goes anywhere without a book,
but started looking for something more. Something hotter. Her passion for
erotic romance lead to Nicole’s creation of sizzling characters and boundary
pushing stories. Now she lives in an incredible world where fantasy comes to
life in bold, vivid detail.
She can often be found conducting research for her steamy
stories while chatting with her muse and people watching. Turns out those
voyeuristic tendencies are useful after all, who could have guessed.
Excerpt:
Reaching out, he grasped the chair and swiveled it until she
faced him. Candy tilted her head back, way back, her hungry gaze drinking him
in. Unruly black hair had been tamed to silky waves above big blue eyes she’d
gladly drown in. His face was rough-hewn with sharp angles, and a rugged beard
shadow softened the intensity of his square jaw. He’d grown into that coltish
boy’s body and then some. Broad chest, powerful arms roped with corded muscles,
lean hips….
Calloused fingers grazed her cheek, drawing her focus back to
his smiling eyes.
“Of all the gin joints….” he prompted, beginning a familiar
greeting they’d shared a million times over while growing up.
She grinned up at him. “In all the towns, in all the
world….”
“She walks into mine.” He finished the famous movie line,
cupping her cheek, his thumb repeatedly gliding along her bottom lip. “I can’t
believe it’s you. What are you doing here?”
“At the hotel? Guest speaker at a conference. In San
Antonio? I moved back to be closer to my mom. Dad—”
Her voice choked up, unable to say the words. It had only
been three months since her father’s fatal heart attack. The wounds were still
raw.
Strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her in to that
incredible body, one hand holding her head cushioned against a delicious chest
she wanted to lick, the other rubbing soothing circles over her back. He
smelled good—sandalwood and leather.
“I heard about your dad.” His voice rumbled through his
chest and into her, Candy eagerly soaked in the delicious vibration. “I’m so
sorry.”
In his arms, she felt safe and loved, never wanting to
leave. All too soon, he broke the embrace and stepped back. “Come on, grab your
drink. Let’s find a table and catch up.”
With a nod, she turned back to the bar, got another glass
and a bottle of the chocolate wine nestled in an ice bucket from the
crestfallen Luke. She gathered her belongings and followed Jeremiah to a small
table at the back of the bar.
Once they’d settled into seats, she turned his question back
on him. “So what are you doing here?”
“Had a bad injury last year and can’t compete on the circuit
anymore. Got tired of constantly being on the road with the band.” He shrugged.
“So here I am, spinning my wheels while I wait to close on a ranch in the Hill
Country.”
She’d known about the injury. It had been all over the news.
That damn ornery bull’s horn had come disturbingly close to gelding Jeremiah.
But the band? She hadn’t heard about him leaving Branded.
“A ranch? Wow! I thought you never wanted to be tied to one
place?”
“I grew up. Had to happen sooner or later.” Shifting his
chair closer, he reached out and placed his hand over hers on the table that
suddenly seemed a lot smaller. He made a blatant point of checking her out,
head to toe, a lascivious smile curving his lips. “You’ve certainly grown up.”
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